Black Bay 54 - now that’s an interesting one..

[dannyp]

I'm curious to see the strap version. great looking watch but finding it hard to like the bracelet. I'm fine with the faux rivets, but don't like that it tapers in a "ladder" fashion. Has always made it hard for me to warm to most of the BBs.

[douglasf13]

Originally Posted by dannyp

I'm curious to see the strap version. great looking watch but finding it hard to like the bracelet. I'm fine with the faux rivets, but don't like that it tapers in a "ladder" fashion. Has always made it hard for me to warm to most of the BBs.

I think the bracelet is still the move. This is probably the most accurate reissue yet, so the modern rubber strap with fitted ends and a big clasp doesn’t make sense to me. I’d throw it in a tropic or some other regular strap with a pin buckle.

[zeuloa]

Originally Posted by bp1000

Thank you, I liked it just as much in person as I thought I would. Instant connection.

Because it was received so soon, I think it was marked for display but I was able to buy it.

There was no rubber strap models for trying, although I will be ordering one. They don't even know the details of this yet, so that is to be determined.

If you go to view this watch knowing it is 37mm and you are specifically after a smaller diver and are excited at the chance to buy something that tries to honour its original from 1954, this really doesn't disappoint.

If you like larger watches such as the 42mm pelagos or sea-dweller, I'm fairly sure you would think this wears too small. I however, love it. The 20mm lug width doesn't make it feel too small.

Good luck.

p.s. as you can see on that photo, the dial has a strange metallic type sunburst dial which is only noticeable in direct light. Indoors it's a matte black flat colour. I also like the lollipop seconds hand (replaces the snowflake) and pencil minute hand.

Congrats! Looks great!

I agree, size is based on preference, but no male in an average height range and proper weight should have issues wearing this watch. Connery himself at 6’2 (188cm) wore it and it looks great in that picture!

[Dave4D]

From a french forum.
Not my pics!! Credit to user greeeg on forumamontres.

[Reinhard in SA]

Originally Posted by Dave4D

From a french forum.
Not my pics!! Credit to user greeeg on forumamontres.

Thanks for the pics Loving the size of the '54

[Raku]

I like the smaller size, but the design is not quite right imo.
The snowflake hour hand does not match anything on the dial (it makes sense on the Pelagos with its square markers), the lume is off white almost cream but the bezel text is plain white. Too much of a mishmash.
Also the bezel insert is still made of aluminium, which is not good enough for a £3200 watch.

[Reinhard in SA]

Originally Posted by Raku

I like the smaller size, but the design is not quite right imo.
The snowflake hour hand does not match anything on the dial (it makes sense on the Pelagos with its square markers), the lume is off white almost cream but the bezel text is plain white. Too much of a mishmash.
Also the bezel insert is still made of aluminium, which is not good enough for a £3200 watch.

Everything you mention is because it is a tribute to the 1954 model. On a vintage model the bezel would be aluminium, the dial would have patina, while the insert may just have faded a bit. It even has a faux rivet bracelet. Putting ceramic on this watch would be like putting a carbon fiber spoiler on a Porsche 356. They've done away with the snowflake seconds hand, but short of putting a Mercedes hand on, there is not much they can do differently for the hour hand, short from making it a pencil hand.

[travisb]

Looking forward to trying this one on.

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by douglasf13

I think the bracelet is still the move. This is probably the most accurate reissue yet, so the modern rubber strap with fitted ends and a big clasp doesn’t make sense to me. I’d throw it in a tropic or some other regular strap with a pin buckle.

You are probably right on that. Reserving judgement (on both) until seen in-person. Overall a great looking watch, though!

Wonder if the Ranger bracelet or even one from the old BB36 would fit...

[TheDude]

This is the first one I’ve given serious consideration. They finally got the proportions right. If only the hands could go away for more period correct ones…

The Kingston is the king of this particular watch aesthetic (I own one and several models using that case). If Tudor continues to creep towards the truly older vintage look (jettisoning the questionable design elements from 10+ years ago - and they seem to be), they’ll certainly get more of my dollars.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[winst]

54 looks a great watch to me. I think that guys with wrists 7 inches or under should consider it if they want a really comfortable, discreet, classy diver but not rule out a 58. Could be a nice watch for ladies wanting a diver as well. What is interesting is the rubber strap option has a T-fit clasp on it as well like the bracelet. It would be a bit bonkers if they don’t offer a T-fit clasp on the 58 going forward.

I’ve not been wearing my 58 Blue much recently but those French pictures have made me realise what I’ve been missing. That President style bracelet really doesn’t look right on the 58 though in my opinion. I’m going to go upstairs and get it from the winder now and put it on.

[Vice Prince]

I like the slimmer/smaller size for my ~6.5 inch wrist. To be honest, I would swap it for my currently owned black BB58 all else equal. That said I don't like the color of the bezel at all with the gilt accents on the dial. I'm undecided on the hands.

I could foresee myself selling my BB58 which I bought at retail, even though it would hurt to take a loss, and purchasing one of these, if it impresses me in person and a dial/bezel combination is released in the future that is more appealing to me than this one.

[JDR888]

For smaller wrist sizes it really is a case of trying on to see if it works for you.

The 37mm dimensions and slim case size, plus sitting flatter on the wrist has the makings for ideal proportions.

[bp1000]

Having lived with it for a couple of days it wears absolutely nothing like my 36mm DJ.

It is really not that far off the 5 digit subs in how it feels on the wrist, although it's thinner.

In fact it wears thinner than my Daytonas or the datejust mentioned.

from wruw

[Dave4D]

Tried it today at the store.

I think its wonderful on my 6.5 inches wrist. Not to small, just perfect proportion for an every day watch that would be elegant with a suit and still fine for all occasions.

[toastmh]

Originally Posted by Reinhard in SA

Everything you mention is because it is a tribute to the 1954 model. On a vintage model the bezel would be aluminium, the dial would have patina, while the insert may just have faded a bit. It even has a faux rivet bracelet. Putting ceramic on this watch would be like putting a carbon fiber spoiler on a Porsche 356. They've done away with the snowflake seconds hand, but short of putting a Mercedes hand on, there is not much they can do differently for the hour hand, short from making it a pencil hand.

I agree that the vintage aesthetic is cool and aluminium bezel fits with that perfectly. My issue is with the hands, if they wanted to make a proper homage watch then they would have stuck a Mercedes hand on it. Obviously Rolex won't let them do it so it feels a bit half-baked now. They should have owned the snowflake and stuck with the second hand rather than try to do as much of an homage as possible without pissing off daddy.

[gaheris]

Dying to see some on-wrist pic of the rubber strap version. Thinking of getting one between this and the Pan Am Albino GMT tribute.

[JimmyBoots]

The more I think about the more I see it as a modern formal watch. I personally would wear this watch over a Sub to a more formal setting because of its smaller vintage looks especially with my 7.25” wrist.

The diminutive size kinda makes it more dressy imo

[darrenho]

The thinner case on the BB54 is very appealing to me. I like how it is designed to pay a tribute to the 1954 model. It would be a great daily for sure.

[JDR888]

Originally Posted by darrenho

The thinner case on the BB54 is very appealing to me. I like how it is designed to pay a tribute to the 1954 model. It would be a great daily for sure.

This….

[bp1000]

I mean it’s thinner than a datejust

And it does feel it. Sits very flat

[Innocenti]

Looks close to the perfect watch.

I have a bb58 but would swap it for the 54 in a heartbeat

[Black Bay Dan]

Tried one on yesterday (with Oyster bracelet) at my local ID, and my what a beauty. The case is so slim. I have never been a fan of black bezelled subs but this one is a game changer for me.

Dan

[bohren]

Originally Posted by Plant

I wonder if the Ranger bracelet will fit on this?

Because if it does I might buy it on rubber and then purchase that bracelet

Originally Posted by dannyp

Wonder if the Ranger bracelet or even one from the old BB36 would fit...

I think it will as the BB54 has female end-links just like those from the BB58 and Ranger, which allows 'adapting' non-original bracelets as long as their middle-links fit into the gap.

I'm wearing my blue BB58 with the Ranger bracelet and will check this out, when my BB54 arrives. I ordered it instantly after I had it on my wrist four days ago.

Here are some - pretty bad - pictures, but they work to show a comparison to my BB58 and 14060m. My wrist is 17-17.5 cm depending on the temperature and with a calliper without pressing the sides I get 55 - 58 mm.
First 3 are shot from a distance to avoid the typical wide-angle distortions from smartphones. I note this because I'm showing crops:

[natosteve]

Originally Posted by bohren

I think it will as the BB54 has female end-links just like those from the BB58 and Ranger, which allows 'adapting' non-original bracelets as long as their middle-links fit into the gap.

I'm wearing my blue BB58 with the Ranger bracelet and will check this out, when my BB54 arrives. I ordered it instantly after I had it on my wrist four days ago.

Here are some - pretty bad - pictures, but they work to show a comparison to my BB58 and 14060m. My wrist is 17-17.5 cm depending on the temperature and with a calliper without pressing the sides I get 55 - 58 mm.
First 3 are shot from a distance to avoid the typical wide-angle distortions from smartphones. I note this because I'm showing crops:

Yep. That was my initial thought... Would the sleek ranger bracket fit the bb54. Keep us posted :)


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[bohren]

Originally Posted by natosteve

Yep. That was my initial thought... Would the sleek ranger bracket fit the bb54. Keep us posted :)

Will do!

I had my BB58 on the Ranger bracelet with me and had the impression that it was a slightly thicker than the BB54's one, but to avoid scratches on the Boutique's demo copy couldn't hold them very close to each other.
However, if there is a difference, it's not much and I wouldn't expect it to be a dealbreaker.

I'm pretty psycho about design and always found a clean (aka non-riveted) Oyster a better match for my blue BB58. This in no way because the rivets are 'faux', it's because the blue BB58 is so clean contrary to the black BB58, which has a lot more contrasts and details going on and can better balance the additional busy extras (the rivets and the shadow gaps from the lateral metal fittings.
So while the confidence that I could fit the Ranger bracelet to the BB54 is reassuring, I guess that I will wear the BB54 all original. Because I really like this combination for the first time totally, probably because the BB54 is so close to the 7922, which had the same style bracelet. I mean it's closer to history than the BB58 was, which was more a reminiscence.

I'll be back with pictures.

[Mo_Mo_86]

I cant work out if the dial is the same granular texture as my BB ETA or if its gloss or sunburst, does anyone know?

[bohren]

Originally Posted by Mo_Mo_86

I cant work out if the dial is the same granular texture as my BB ETA or if its gloss or sunburst, does anyone know?

It has an extremely restrained sunbrushing, much more low-profile than the Pelagos 39's brushing, which - when it comes out in sunlight - by way of comparison really pops.
The BB54 has it so superfine, that you effectively only see the effect but not the structure of the brushing unless you view it magnified. The visual result is like a kind of vintage-glow - very sexy. And it matches beautifully with the slightly faded black on the bezel, which is not as dark-black as the BB58's bezel is.

Here's a 100 % crop from one of the pics I did outside in sunlight. At 5 - 6 o'clock you can spot the brushing:

[1259]

The bb54 looks great in the pics and I think it gives the explorer a run for its money as my favorite beater watch.

[bohren]

Originally Posted by 1259

The bb54 looks great in the pics and I think it gives the explorer a run for its money as my favorite beater watch.

This video has the best scenes with the BB54 from all I have seen so far:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N9q2_7iPaI

From the video: